Condenser



Aug. 31, 1948. J. .J. ANTALEK 244mm CONDENSER Filed Feb. 21, 1945 INVENTQR ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 31, 1948 CONDENSER John J. Antalek, Chicago, Ill., assignor to The Rauland Corporation, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Application February 21,1945, Serial No. 578,999

. 9 Claims. 1

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in condensers.

An object-oi the invention is a" condenser unit of small size which has a high breakdown resistance, even when subjected to radio frequency currents of relatively high intensity.

Another object of the invention is an assembly of several condenser units forming a small and compact structure which may be subjected to extreme working conditions.

In order to achieve these and other objects of the invention, the condenser dielectric is of a relatively high dielectric constant and is preterably made of a tubular shape formed of a titanium compound in a ceramic binder. The condenser electrodes consist of a metal film or films arranged on the inside and outside of the dielectric tube.

A condenser unit, if necessary together with other units, is mounted in a closed atmosphere of relatively high thermal conductivity of a gas or a vapor which is relatively inert to the dielectric, even at high operational temperatures.

A specific embodiment of the invention is a number of such condenser units arranged substantially parallel to each other in a sealed glass vessel containing hydrogen at atmospheric pressure.

Still another object of this invention is to increase heat transfer from the condenser unit to the surrounding gas or vapor atmosphere by providing heat-radiating fins thereon.

In order to insure simple and accurate assembly of several condenser units, according to another aspect of this invention the condenser units'are mounted substantially parallel to each other between two insulating discs so as to form a single structure which can be supported on the bottom part of a glass or metal envelope in a more or less customary manner. The same bottom part contains the lead-in seals connecting the condenser electrodes to the outside.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a condenser unit;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2.of Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 represent a modification of the embodiment according to Figs. 1 and 2, Fig. 3 being a section along line 3-3 of Fig. 4;

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 represent front, end and par- 2 tial perspective views of a further modification of Figs. 1 and 2;

Figs. 8 and 9 are vertical and transverse sections along lines 9-8 and 8-8, respectively, said sections being of portions of an assembly containing several condenser units; and

Fig. 10 is a sectional view through one of the condenser units of Figs. 8 and 9.

In Figs. 1 and 2, each unit of a condenser assembly (assuming that the condenser consists of more than one unit asis the case with the preferred embodiment disclosed below) consists of a tube I made of a titanium compound in a ceramic binder or some other composition having a dielectric constant of the order of 85. The inside surf-ace of tube i has a very thin silver coating 2 and the outside surface has coated thereon two spaced collars 3 and 4, which are also thin layers of silver. Silver coating 2 represents two electrodes connected in series opposing the two outer electrodes. The condenser unit' thus formed consists, in fact, 01' two identical series connected condensers. The outer collars 3 and 4, with the associated radiating fins, serve to connect the two condensers with a utilization circuit. Each silver collar 3 and 4 has fastened thereto contact sheets 5 and 6, respectively, made of nickel and provided with radiating fins 5' and 6'.

As can be seen from Fig. 2, contact plates surround the sleeve 3 and are held firmly against it by means such as welded points I. The ends of the radiating fins 5, 6' are bent out to insure good heat transfer to the surrounding atmosphere.

It is noted that the metallic cooling structure comprising contact sheets and radiating fins is both electrically and thermally conductive and is in both respects coupled with and supported by the outer electrode. The structure serves the dual purpose of affording a convenient terminal for lead wires, whereby a capacitor unit may be employed in an external circuit and will be properly cooled.

Instead of one continuous inner coating, two spaced inner coatings, or inner collars, can be provided, forming separate electrodes opposing the corresponding outer electrodes as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

In Figs. 3 and 4, the tubular dielectric 8 carlies two pairs oi longitudinally separated inner and cute electrodes 9, II and I0, l2,,respectively, forming wo separate condensers connected to the leads l3, l6 and I5, I, respectively.

The two condensers may be used either in parallel or in series by connecting together leads I4 and I6 and i3 and I! or by connecting together 1 only leads I: and II. The leads for the parallel pair will comprise lead I along with lead I! and lead I2 along with lead l5 whereas the connections to the series pair will be through leads It and It.

It is possible-of course, to provide only one outside coating instead of two, and only one inner collar, thus forming a single condenser on the tubular dielectric without departing irom the scope of this invention. Furthermore, the inner or outer collar. or collars, may be made-adjust! of nickel, the center portion ll of which is cut in, by stampings, and bent out of its plane, thus iorming with the remaining side portions I! which are similarly bent out to the plane 01' strip II, a cylindrical space in which the dielectric tube 22 is tightly held, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, at a point where the outer electrode film 21 is arranged. Assembly becomes very simple; no

welding is required. ltnecessary, the longitudinal location of the fin may be assured by soldering strap l1 against the lmderlying metal film forming electrode 21.

Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate an assembly consisting of four condenser units 22. 2:, 24 and as, each constructed in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and employing leads as shown in Fig. 10. These four condensers are mounted within a glass envelope 26 having a glass bottom 21 through which the eight lead-in wires 28 of the four condenser units extend and into which these wires are sealed, as indicated at 2-9. For an assembly consisting oi four such condensers there will be four pairs of lead-in wires 22, each lead-4n wire being sealed through bottom 21.

The glass envelope 26 may be evacuated in the customary manner through a hole in glass bottom 21 and, according to the present invention, is filled with hydrogen at a pressure oi. approxiapplied thereto. when the condenser heats up on account of the application of excessive radio i'requency current, the electric properties change but not irreversibly. Once the condenser cools on, it will again operate normally.

The lower ends of lead-in wires 28 which prm ject from glass bottom 21 are soldered or otherwise fastened at 22 to terminals of a porcelain or steatite disc 21., Connections may be soldered to terminals or they may be formed as plugs 22 adapted to engage jack contacts. The whole assembly is placed within a container I3 01 aluminum or the like, the upper end oiwhich is closed and provided with attachment lugs 24 and the lower end obwhich is open and arranged to be turned over at one or more points to hold the porcelain disc 22 in place. Two or these turnedover points are indicated at 25. Firmly to anchor the glass envelope 2t within the container 22 a corrugated resilient spacer 26 is provided in the space between container 32 and envelope 22, or formed on the inside of contalner 22.

The mounting structure for the condenser units 22; 22, 24 and 2' can be seen from Fig. 10. One of the dielectric tubes, say 22. is shown positioned between. two perforated mica or other suitable insulating plates 21 and 22 held thereto by means of stoppers 82 and ll, respectively, also of insulating material, and which project within the two ends of the tube 22. A wire ll extends through the tube 22 and the two stoppers 29 .and 40. The lower end of the wire ll can be used for connection with a circuit and its upper end is connected to contact plates 42. Another lead-in wire 43 projects through the lower mica disc 22 and is connected with contact plates 44. Wires II and mately one atmosphere. There is on objection to 0 much higher. pressures or to somewhat lower pressures, but I have found hydrogen at a pressure of approximately one atmosphere a very good heat conductor and one which prevents the occurrence of corona discharge. Exhausting and filling operations, as well as tubeconstruction, were found to be easiest when pressure of the order of one atmosphere is used.

Heat conductivity can be further increased by making envelope 26 of metal.

Attempts to obtain comparable results by filling envelope 26 with other gases have not been successful. Carbon dioxide and nitrogen are not as good heat conductors as hydrogen, and corona discharge was observed when the envelope was filled with helium. I A condenser of the above nature apparently never breaks down or punctures when radio irequency currents of relatively high intensity are 22 of Fig. 10 exactly correspond to what have been called lead-in wires 22 in the description of the whole assembly shown in Fig. 8.

The entire unitary inner assembly of the tour condenser units 22, 22, 2! and 25 is supported through lower stoppers ll on seals 29 by the wires which pass through these stoppers and are embedded in seals 22.

.Instead or this arrangement, the entire inner unitary assembly may be supported by joining the lower mica disc 28 to bottom 21. The connecting means between dmc 2| and bottom 21 may be oi any conventional sort such as by wires bent through disc 28 and sealed into bottom 21. This alternate arrangement is not shown in any figure of the drawing.

The condenser units can be supported within envelope 26 in any other desired way without exceeding the scope of this invention.

Experimental assemblies have been built according to this invention which contain tour condenser units corresponding to units 22, 22, 22

and 2! as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. Each of these units add a capacity of the order of 500 micromicro-tarads and theceramlc element used in each section unit measured 1 in length and V in diameter. Such, a unit had capacity and current carrying properties comparable to ordinary mica condensers measuring 18" by 28'' in size or to customary cylindrical type of mica condensers 2%" long and 3%" in diameter.

The size of the' entire assembly containing these four units was 1%" in diameter and 2%" in length. These dimensions allowed for an external metallic shield and the sealed glass element contained therein and corresponding to element 28 in Figs. 8 and 9 are only 2%" long sad 1%" in diameter. Obviously the compactness of assembly built according to this invention can be realized. and corresponding savings of spice enjoyed as assemblies, and units of either increased or decreased capacitance constructed.

What I'claim is:

1. An assembly according to claim 2, wherein said container includes a metal portion.

2. In a condenser assembly, a number of tubular dielectric elements formed of a titanium compound in a ceramic binder, each of said dielectric elements having on at least a portion of its external surface a conductive electrode film having at least two longitudinally separated portions, each of said dielectric elements having on its inner surface .a conductive electrode film opposing all of said portions and situated substantially coaxial thereto, said dielectric elements being grouped together so that their axes are substantially parallel and all lie along the surface of the same imaginary cylinder, said ,20

dielectric elements being located between the same bases of said imaginary cylinder, a closed substantially cylindrical glass container having a bottom, metallic conductors mechanically and electrically connected to said longitudinally separated portions, said conductors having portions thereof extending substantially parallel to the axes of said dielectric elements, extending in the same direction, and passing through and sealed to said bottom, and a good heat-conducting gas in said container relatively inert to said dielectric elements.

3. In a condenser assembly, a number oi tubular dielectric elements formed of a titanium compound in a ceramic binder, each of said dielectric elements having on at least a portion of its external surface a conductive outer electrode illm having two longitudinally separated portions. each of said dielectric elements having on its inner surface a conductive electrode film-opposing both of said portions and situated substantially coaxial thereto, a plurality of metallic electrically conductive and heat-conducting means each in electrical and thermal contact with one of said separated portions and physically connected thereto. a closed substantially cylindrical ments, said plugs having center holes for passing said portions of said conductors through said dielectric elements. a

6. A condenser assembly comprising a tube formed of a substance containing titanium and bound together in a ceramic binder and having a dielectric constant of the order of 85, an electrode film composed of a coating of silver on the inside surface of the tube, two electrode films comprising silver sleeves coated on the outside surface of the tube, said two electrode films lastmentioned covering different portions of the outer surface of said tube and each opposing a portion of said first-mentioned electrode film, at least two electrically conductive and heat-conducting and heat-dissipating means composed of nickel having radiating 'ilns, at least one of said conducting means being in electrical and thermal contact with and being mechanically connected to each of said last-mentioned electrode films, a sealed glass envelope containing hydrogen at substantially atmospheric pressure enclosing said tube, two lead-in wires projecting through and sealed to said envelope, the first of said wires being connected to one of said conducting means connected to one of said electrode "films last-mentioned, the second of said wires being connected to one of said conducting means connected to the other of said electrode films lastmentioned, said second wire passing within and through said tube, a base of insulating material, said base being attached to the bottom end of said substantially cylindrical envelope, said base having contact points to which said wires are fas glass container having a bottom, a plurality of metallic conductors each being physically and electrically connected to one of said conducting means and having portions which extend substantially parallel to the axes of said dielectric elements and extend in the same direction, one of said portions of said conductors passing within and through each -of said dielectric elements, all of said portions of said conductors passing through and being sealed tosaid bottom, and a filling of hydrogen in said container.

4. An assembly according to claim 2, including substantially circular insulating discs, said dielectric elements being supported between said insulating discs, said discs occupying positions substantially corresponding to said imaginary bases of said imaginary cylinder, means for joining said dielectric elements to said discs to form a unitary structure, and means for supporting said structure through one of the discs on said bottom.

5. An assembly according to claim 2, substantially cylindrical insulating discs, said dielectric elements being held between said insulating discs and being substantially perpendicular thereto, means for attaching the dielectric elements to said discs to f rm a unitary structure, said attaching means including plugs inserted through holes in said discs and into the dielectric eletened on the outside of said bottom of said cylindrical envelope, a metal casing surrounding said envelope, and means for resiliently supporting said metal casing in its position surrounding said envelope.

7. A multiple condenser assembly including a substantially cylindrical sealed glass envelope, in which a plurality of tubular elements with their associated electrode films and conductin means according to claim 6 are assembled so that their axes are substantially parallel and lie on the surface of an imaginary cylinder somewhat smaller in diameter than said substantially cylindrical envelope, and so that said tubes are positioned between the imaginary bases of said imaginary cylinder, said conducting means passing through and being sealed to said envelope, also including an upper and a lower substantially circular insulating disc for holdin the upper and lower ends of the tubes in said positions and in spaced relationship to one another and to the walls of the envelope, a plug of insulatin material for each end of each tube and adapted to attach it to one of said insulating discs, said plugs having center holes permitting one of each of half of said conductors to pass in and through each of said tubes, one of each of said half of said conductors passing through the center holes of each pair of said plugs associated with each of said tubes and through each of said tubes, and a filling of hydrogen gas in said envelope.

8. A condenser assembly, a number of substantially parallel spaced dielectric tubes each formed of a titanium compound in a ceramic binderand each having opposing electrodes, a closed substantially cylindrical container including a bottom, said container enclosing a good heat-conducting gas relatively inert to said dielectric tubes, said gas being at substantially atmospheric pressure, conductors extending substantially parallel to said dielectric tubes for connecting the electrodes to external circuits through said bottom, means including a pair of substantially circular spacer insulating discs holding the dielectric tubes therebetween to form a unitary structure, and means for supporting said unitary structure inside said container.

9. A condenser assembly comprising a tubular dielectric element formed of a titanium com pound in a ceramic binder, on the tubular element at least one outer conductive electrode film and an inner conductive electrode film opposing all outer electrode films and situated substantially'coaxial thereto, a metallic electrically-conductive and heat-conducting means in electrical and thermal contact with each outer electrode film and physically connected thereto and comprising heat dissipating surfaces extending outwardly from the tubular element into space surrounding it, a substantially cylindrical sealed container enclosing said tubular element along with said electrode films and said electricallyconductive and heat-conducting means, a metallic conductor for each outer electrode film electrically connected thereto over said electricallyconductlve and heat-conducting means within the container and extending from it to the exterior oi' the container through an insulating seal, and a filling 01 hydrogen in said container.

'- JOHN J. ANTALEK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record inthe w file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Germany Sept. 18, 1933 

